The project seeks to reduce overfishing in Punta Cana and enhance coral reef recovery through the development of sustainable fishing livelihoods for local fishermen.
Overfishing has been identified as one of the most significant impacts on coral reefs in the Caribbean. Overfishing means fishermen must spend more time in the water but catch less and smaller fish. Local fish stocks become severely depleted. Fishermen are then forced to go farther away and take greater risks to support themselves. The coral reefs of the Dominican Republic have some of the lowest fish populations in the Caribbean, affecting the tourism industry and overall coral reef health.
This project seeks to reduce overfishing and enhance coral reef recovery in Punta Cana by training local fishermen in sustainable techniques such as fly-fishing, Catch, Picture and Release fishing (CPR) and use of artificial lobster houses.
We will provide alternative livelihoods for local fishermen, offer new sustainable tourism opportunities for visiting guests, and allow the reef ecosystem to recover in the long term. We hope to make Punta Cana an example of sustainable fisheries.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
